Input and Output devices Flashcards
What is an Input device?
Hardware devices that allow data to be entered into a computer
Describe the difference between manual and direct input devices
Manual means that data is input into the computer by hand but Direct means data is input into the computer directly by a machine
What are the uses and characteristics of a keyboard?
Input of data into applications software and typing in commands into the computer.
Wired or wireless
What are the advantages of a keyboard?
- Fast entry of new text into document
- Well known method
- Easy to use for most people
- Easier to do verification checks as data is entered
What are the disadvantages of a keyboard?
- Can be difficult to use if the user has limited arm/wrist use
- Slow method when compared to direct data entry
- Fairly large device that requires valuable desk space
What are the uses and characteristics of a numeric keypad?
Automatic teller machines, Point of sale terminals, chip and pin devices.
- Faster to use when entering numbers
- Can fit into smaller devices as it is small
What are the advantages of a numeric keypad?
- Faster than standard keyboards when entering numerical data
- Because many are small devices they are very easy to carry around
What are the disadvantages of a numeric keypad?
- Sometimes have small keys which can make the input more difficult
- Sometimes the order of the numbers on the keypad is not intuitive
What are the uses and characteristics of a mouse and a tracker ball mouse?
Opening and closing and minimising software, grouping, moving and deleting files, controlling the position of a pointer on the screen to allow a selection
The tracker ball mouse is good for accessibility, used by moving the ball around and has left ad right middle mouse button
Wireless or wired
- Trackball mouse allows the mouse not to be moved by using the ball
- Mouse are measured in dots per inches and
- Tracker ball can be a good alternative for people with conditions such as RSI
The tracker ball mouse is good for accessibility, used by moving the ball around and has left ad right middle mouse button
What are the advantages of these mouses?
- Faster method for selection than using a keyboard
- Very quick
- Does not need a large desk area
- Trackball mouse allows the mouse not to be moved by using the ball
- Mouse are measured in dots per inches and
- Tracker ball can be a good alternative for people with conditions such as RSI
What are the disadvantages of these mouses?
- Can be more difficult for people with disabilities
- Difficult to use if no flat surface readily available
- The ball will get dirt in it easily and can be removed easily
What are the characteristics of a touchpad?
Opening and closing and minimising software, grouping, moving and deleting files, controlling the position of a pointer on the screen to allow a selection
What are the advantages of a touchpad?
- Faster method for selection than using a keyboard
- Very quick
- Does not need a large desk area
- Because the touchpad is integrated into the laptop computer there is no need for a separate mouse
What are the disadvantages of a touchpad?
- People with a limited handwrits harder to use
- More difficult to use when preforming certain operations such as a drag and drop
What are the uses of a remote control?
Changing the channel on the tv, Increasing/ decreasing the volume on a music player, Selecting a different chapter on a DVD player, operate machinery, how entertainment systems use remote controls
What are the advantages of a remote control?
- Can be operated without even going to them, useful for people with disabilities
- Operate devices that are in an unsafe environment
What are the disadvantages of a remote control?
- People with limited hand movement can find them difficult to use
- The infra-red signal between the remote control and the device it operates can become blocked
What are the uses of a joystick?
They can control characters or objects in video games, can control industrial machinery, they are used in simulators
What are the advantages of a joystick?
- Easier to control on-screen cursor or movie in game character than when it is using a keyboard
- Very simple to get used to
- Can be used by disabled people
What are the disadvantages of a joystick?
- Not as easier to control an on-screen curser when compared to a mouse
- People with hand/wrist issues can find them painful to use
- Difficult to enter text
What are the uses of a touch screen?
Way of saving space, public information systems at airports, Interactive whiteboards at school, On-screen multiple choice tests
What are the advantages of touch screen?
- Very fast an easier to enter options
- No training needed
What are the disadvantages of touch screen?
- Limited number of options available on screen
- Expensive compared to other input devices
- Screen can become dirty and full of germs due to people touching it
What are the uses of a scanner?
Used to scan hard copies/ printed documents into a computer, Old documents and photos can be scanned into a computer for work or memories
What are the advantages of a scanner?
- Very fast to enter hard copies
- Very easy to scan and store documents and images into a computer
- Old photos that may be damaged can be repaired
What are the disadvantages of a scanner?
- Scanned images are usually of lesser quality
- Scanned images can take up a lot of disk space
What are the uses of a graphics tablet?
Allow designers to produce digital images much more accurately
What are the advantages of a graphics tablet?
- Much easier to draw images using a pen then using mouse
- Useful in countries when drawing symbols and numbers
What are the disadvantages of a graphics tablet?
- Very expensive when compared to a mouse
- Not useful for some input deeds
What are the uses of a light pen?
Selecting objects on a CRT screen, directly drawing on a screen
What are the advantages of a light pen?
- More accurate than touch screens
- Very small so can be used where there is no room for a mouse
What are the disadvantages of a light pen?
- Not as accurate as a graphics tablet when producing drawings
- Can only be used with CRT screens
- Can be quite uncomfortable to use as you have raise your hand
What are the uses of a microphone?
Used to input sounds/speech for use in range of applications, used in voice recognition, allow people to hols calls